Details Of His Death

Introduction:Acts 10:43 (All the prophets give witness to the claim that Jesus is the Christ. Various prophets offer various details fulfilled at different moments in his life. His purpose, and many prophesied events, are culminated in the events of his death. This one event shows how well the prophets bear witness to his claims, proving Jesus is the Christ.)

I.Portrait Of The Prophets: (This section will briefly outline details about the different prophets we will cite regarding Christ’s death.)

1.David: (David started out a simple shepherd boy and wound up being king of Israel. He authored most of the Psalms. He lived about 1,000 years before Christ.)

2.Amos: (Amos was a simple herdsman and prophet of Tekoa in Judah. He lived about 750 years before Christ.)

3.Isaiah: (Isaiah was a prophet in Judah and lived about 750 years before Christ.)

4.Jeremiah: (Jeremiah was a prophet in Judah, sometimes exiled in Egypt, often tormented by those he served. He wrote the book that bears his name as well as Lamentations. He lived about 600 years before Christ.)

5.Daniel: (Daniel was a prophet of Judah who lived in captivity, at first in Babylon and then Medo-Persia. He was a government official in both lands. He lived about 550 years before Christ.)

6.Zechariah: (Zechariah was a prophet of the reform period after the Babylonian captivity. He served the government of Judah in helping direct the reconstruction. He lived about 450 years before Christ.)

II.Hail To The Historians: (This section will briefly note the quality and integrity of the four gospel historians as well as basic facts about their lives.)

1.Matthew: (Matthew was a Jewish tax collector and one of the original disciples of Christ. As a publican he would have been lowly in the eyes of his own people. Yet his record quickly gained credibility among his peers, even Jewish Christians.)

2.Mark: (Mark was probably a fisherman and may have been related to the apostle John. Though not a high profile figure, his gospel was accepted early on by the Christian community as authentic.)

3.Luke: (This Greek physician is renowned as the consummate historian. Like the other historians, he submitted his work for the approval of many eye witnesses to these events [Lk. 1:1-3] which shows the records were carefully verified by many witnesses.)

4.John: (This humble fisherman validates his work with the perspective of an eye witness. Though his gospel records some events not mentioned in the synoptic gospels, none of the details contradict with the others.)

III.Remarkable Realization: (This section will briefly detail specific prophesies Christ fulfilled in his death. It is truly remarkable that the message of these prophesies is realized in the death of Jesus.)

1.Betrayed By A Friend:

Prophesy: Ps. 41:9 (David wrote his Psalms about 1000 years before Christ. Here he prophesies Christ would be betrayed by a friend.)

Prophesy: Isa. 50:6, Lam. 3:30 (Isaiah speaks of how Christ would be mocked, beaten, have his beard pulled and in general be taunted. Jeremiah reflects the same kind of treatment.)

Fulfillment: Mt. 26:67-68, Mk. 14:65, Lk. 22:63-65 (The unbelieving Jews fulfilled this expectation in the way they treated Christ at his trial.)

6.Reward Money Thrown In God’s House:

Prophesy: Zech. 11:13 (Zechariah said the reward money would be thrown down in the temple.)

Fulfillment: Mt. 27:5 (Judas did this very thing after trying to get the Jews to take back the reward money.)

7.Reward Money Bought Potter’s Field:

Prophesy: Zech. 11:13 (Zechariah said the reward money would be used to purchase a potter’s field in which the betrayer would be buried.)

Fulfillment: Mt. 27:3-10, Acts 1:15-19 (The Jews did this very thing since blood money could not be taken into the temple treasury.)

8.Nailed To The Cross By Hands And Feet:

Prophesy: Ps. 22:16 (This Psalm of David specifically says Christ’s hands and feet would be pierced.)

Fulfillment: Mt. 27:35, etc.,Jn. 20:25-27 (In crucifixion the victim’s hands and feet were nailed to the cross. Thomas later reflects on desiring to see these wounds as proof the resurrected person is truly Christ.)

9.Crucified:

Prophesy: Dan. 9:26 (Daniel prophesied the Messiah would be killed in the midst of his last prophet "week" or seven year period, after his three and a half year ministry.)

Fulfillment: Mt. 27:35, etc. (The prophesy is fulfilled in the fact Christ was crucified after his three and a half year ministry.)

10.Crucified With Criminals:

Prophesy: Isa. 53:12 (Isaiah said Christ would be killed in the company of common criminals.)

Prophesy: Ps. 31:5 (This Psalm of David tells another statement Christ would make on the cross.)

Fulfillment: Lk. 23:46 (Christ quoted this Psalm just before he died.)

17.Side Pierced:

Prophesy: Zech. 12:10 (Zechariah said Christ’s side would be pierced.)

Fulfillment: Jn. 19:33-37 (The soldiers did this instead of breaking his legs.)

18.Darkness Over The Land:

Prophesy: Amos 8:9 (Amos was an earlier prophet, living about 800 years before Christ. He foretold the land would be darkened the day Christ died.)

Fulfillment: Mt. 27:45, Mk. 15:33, Lk. 23:44 (This was fulfilled when darkness came over the land while Jesus was on the cross. Note the historical references on this point later.)

19.Buried In A Rich Man’s Tomb:

Prophesy: Isa. 53:9 (Isaiah said the suffering Christ would be buried in a rich man’s tomb.)

Fulfillment: Mt. 27:57-60, Mk. 15:42-46, Lk. 23:50-54, Jn. 19:38-42 (Joseph of Arimathea fulfilled this when he provided his tomb for Christ’s burial. Christ was wrapped in cloth and spices as was the custom for those wealthy enough to afford it.)

Conclusion: (In the details of his death we see a splendid affirmation of the validity and reliability of the Bible. This shows the record of prophesy contained in the Old Testament scriptures is inspired. And it shows the historical record of his life is inspired. Since the Bible is surely a book from God, it demands our attention and respect.)